(PERIODISTAS/IFEX)- On 6 March 2003, at midday, photojournalist Christian Frolich, of the Buenos Aires-based daily “Cronica”, was kicked and punched by Federal Police officers while he was covering the arrest of street vendors in the capital’s Once district. The vendors were blocking traffic on Puyrredon Avenue, in the centre of the city, protesting measures taken […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX)- On 6 March 2003, at midday, photojournalist Christian
Frolich, of the Buenos Aires-based daily “Cronica”, was kicked and punched by Federal
Police officers while he was covering the arrest of street vendors in the capital’s Once district.
The vendors were blocking traffic on Puyrredon Avenue, in the centre of the city, protesting measures taken by the municipal government. Altogether, Frolich told PERIODISTAS, “there were more than 100 officers there, about the same as the number of protesters.”
When police and municipal government authorities at the scene decided to break up the roadblock, several protesters were arrested in the general confusion. Frolich attempted to document the brutality of the police during the arrests. “That’s when the police began to kick at my ankles, to punch me from behind, something we photographers are quite familiar with because, unfortunately, it has become part of the tradition of our profession, especially after 20 December 2001,” said Frolich, in reference to social unrest that culminated in the resignation of then-president de la Rúa.
Since 1 March, at least five journalists have been assaulted by Federal Police while covering street protests. Frolich told PERIODISTAS that the risk to reporters increases proportionally to the level of police force used against protesters. “The police are behaving very violently, as if to say, “we won’t let you show what we’re doing. People tell me that Argentina is a democracy, but this type of aggression against journalists seems to put that into question,” said Frolich.
Recommended Action
Send letters of support for the journalist to:
Diario Cronica
Fax: +54 11 4361 4237
Send appeals to the minister of justice, security and human rights:
– asking that action be taken to protect clearly identified journalists from attack while they are carrying out their work
Appeals To
Juan José Álvarez
Ministry of Justice, Security and Human Rights
Tel/Fax: +54 11 4328 2442 / 2730
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
